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Aston University student and graduate business startup support programme marks 10th year

May 31, 2023

2 min


  • BSEEN is a collaboration of four Birmingham universities, led by Aston University
  • It has helped over 800 new businesses to launch through intensive startup bootcamps and a network of business mentors
  • An awards dinner was held on 4 May to celebrate a decade in operation.


An Aston University student and graduate business startup support programme has celebrated its 10th year in operation.


BSEEN, a collaboration of four Birmingham universities led by Aston University, marked a decade of supporting student and graduate entrepreneurs with an awards dinner on 4 May 2023. Mike Bander, an Aston University alumnus and recipient of an honorary doctorate, was guest speaker and gave a keynote speech.


The programme has helped over 800 new businesses to launch through 31 intensive startup bootcamps and a network of 85 business mentors.


The awards night at Fazeley Studios in Birmingham showcased the student and graduate entrepreneurs supported by BSEEN and the mentors and professional services organisations who have worked to help startups through surgeries, drop-ins and round table discussions.


Mike Bandar, international business trainer and speaker and founding partner of Turn Partners, said:


“The power of the collective community has changed “I” into “us”. Personal ambition is essential, but the true spirit of entrepreneurship is to unite, collaborate and transform. Diversity gives us strength by not seeing competitors as rivals, but partners.”


Professor Zoe Radnor, pro-vice chancellor and executive dean of the College of Business and Social Sciences at Aston University, said:


“I have heard so much about BSEEN that was amazing and I am looking forward to supporting young people to achieve their goals despite European funding for the scheme coming to an end.”


Paula Whitehouse, deputy dean for enterprise and engagement at Aston University, said:


“The programme has delivered a big social and economic impact with businesses ranging from hand-crafted paper goods to medical devices.”


Carolyn Keenan, BSEEN project manager, said:


“It has been a privilege to be involved with the programme from the beginning.”


The eight awards presented during the event went to the following:


BSEEN Rising Star


Winner: Ruth Mestel and Charis McRoberts, Calathea Arts


Highly Commended: Denise Amory-Reid, Amory R Management


BSEEN Champion Award


Winner: Ben Brophy, Ad Valorem Accountants


Highly Commended: Richard Freeman and Jamie Partington, Higgs LLP


Award for Technology


Winner: Alliyah and Amirah Khan, Our Tied Camel


Highly Commended: Safe Queen Team


Award for Creative Industries


Winner: Morgan Grice, Odd Orange


Highly Commended: Andrea Craciun, Sweetest Mango Illustration


Award for Innovation


Winner: David Akraka, Akreon Technology


Highly Commended: Hardeep Randhawa, ProLimbs


Award for Social Impact


Winner: Cleo Morris, Mission Diverse


Highly Commended: Jamaal O’Driscoll, O’D Collective


BSEEN Community Award


Winner: Shovon Wiggan, Inspire-a-Doll


Highly Commended: Janani Prasad, Supabite.com


Award for Small Business Growth


Winner: Bobby Bradstock, Serenity Psychotherapy


Highly Commended: Joseph Housley and Connor Watt, Narce Media and Ben Curtis, Hobby Store Group.


To find out more about the BSEEN programme, click here.

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Typical feedback from non-Finance specialists is that they suddenly surprised themselves during their participation in the simulation and were reconsidering the options of taking a career in Finance. It seems that our original purposes have been met – increased confidence, passion, deep learning and engagement have been achieved. To interivew Professor Higson, contact Nicola Jones, Press and Communications Manager, on (+44) 7825 342091 or email: n.jones6@aston.ac.uk Elliott, C., Guest, J. and Vettraino, E. (editors) (2021), Games, Simulations and Playful Learning in Business Education, Edward Elgar. Kirillov, A. V., Vinichenko, M. V., Melnichuk, A. V., Melnichuk, Y. A., and Vinogradova, M. V. (2016), ‘Improvement in the Learning Environment through Gamification of the Educational Process’, International Electronic Journal of Mathematics Education, 11(7), pp. 2071-2085. Olczak, M, Guest, J. and Riegler, R. 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